Chrisis Intro! 28 year old male with receding hair!

[chrisis]

25 going on 65: thanks for the words of advice and support! Yeah, I think I've caught it relatively early. I still wish I'd been better informed a year ago, but that's the way it goes. I think I will have no problems with providing donor grafts for any transplant - apart from the receded areas my hair is really thick and there's no thinning. When I was a bit younger I'd have my hair "thinned out" because it was always so thick I'll see what Dr Feller has to say in May and keep the forum updated.

amadeus: thanks for the encouragement

howardroarke: I know exactly how you feel about rain, wind, buses... It's such a horrible challenge! It makes me think twice about where I go and what I do. I try to make sure I have a hat or an umbrella just in case! I didn't even have an umbrella until this year!

StressedToTheBald: I'm aware of the potential side effects and chose to take the risk, but thanks. It's important people know about it anyway.

[Tracy C]

I appreciate any advice that comes my way and maybe I can make a few friends along the way.

You are very handsome and your hair looks fine as it is. So even if you chose to do nothing, you would still be handsome.

[Tracy C]

With this said, there is no cosmetic difference I could see. Hair Thickness hasn't improved or the receeded corners haven't filled in.

It can take quite a while to achieve cosmetically significant regrowth and thickening.

I am not sure there is anything a male can do to fill in the temples since this is a normal and natural male trait.

My next plan of action is to slowly wean off minoxidil as I am not sure if I can keep up with the daily chore.

If you do plan to do that, slowly take yourself down to just one application per day about two hours before your bedtime. If Rogaine foam is available where you live, give that a try.

[chrisis]

Thanks Tracy C, but I think I better take preventative action and I can't really put into words the daily frustrations to keep it looking that good. I wouldn't suit my hair short sadly

[Tracy C]

...I can't really put into words the daily frustrations to keep it looking that good.

Trust me I know.

[Kirby_]

Thanks guys.

Spm: did you get results in receded areas with the propecia? I've been on it 3 months and not really seeing anything yet I added the minoxidil and Nizoral shampoo to help it along but that's quite recent.

3 months is too early to notice anything positive with Propecia, just ride it out. You may get increased shedding for a bit, but that is documented as a sign that the tablets are working for halting hair loss.

I've got the same hopes about new therapies! When I was in my teens I assumed/hoped we'd have a cure by the time my hair loss came about and here we are!

I know how you feel. Didn't think hair loss would ever be an issue for me, but a combination of hair loss starting too early and scientific progress being too slow... Well, you'll get me. Let's keep up the hopefulness though, maybe there won't be a cure soon but it's inevitable than an improved (or ever drastically improved) new generation of treatments are just round the corner.

[chrisis]

Thanks Kirby.

By the time my consultation comes around I'll have been on the propecia for about 6 months. I wouldn't consider surgery until I've been taking the meds for at least a year, so I'll be reviewing it at the start of 2013 before scheduling any surgery.

Fingers crossed for promising new treatments!

[ryan555]

Chris:

1) Ignore the hysteria posted by the stressed bald guy. He apparently wants everyone to be as miserable and unempowered with their hair loss as he is.

2) I was on propecia for 12 years. I had to quit two years ago due to an unrelated medical issue. Anyway, by the end of the first year, I had completely regrown my childhood hairline, but it did take a few months to see the real results start showing. I think it does work in the hairline for a lot of guys, especially ones like you who don't have advanced loss.

3) You look good as you are now. The fact that you're 28 and just experiencing a receded hairline is probably a good sign that you won't end up with really advanced hair loss, at least not before some better treatment options come along. If you are planning on staying on the "big 3," and you keep up with that regimen, I have a feeling you won't be posting in here or really thinking much about hair loss at all in a few more months time.

Ryan

[chrisis]

Ryan555:

1) It's obviously a very controversial topic
2) Would you say my hair loss isn't advanced even after viewing the pics of my receded areas in the link? Also, did you apply minoxidil lotion/foam along with the finasteride pills?
3) Thanks it would be nice to think hair loss won't be big on my mind soon, but unless the medication fixes my receded hairline I will definitely be looking at a transplant It will be a long journey. I'll be beyond 30 before it's resolved :/

[ryan555]

Ryan555:

1) It's obviously a very controversial topic
2) Would you say my hair loss isn't advanced even after viewing the pics of my receded areas in the link? Also, did you apply minoxidil lotion/foam along with the finasteride pills?
3) Thanks it would be nice to think hair loss won't be big on my mind soon, but unless the medication fixes my receded hairline I will definitely be looking at a transplant It will be a long journey. I'll be beyond 30 before it's resolved :/

1) Your hairline looks to be a bit beyond the "mature" zone but you do not look like a "balding guy." I was at a party with a bunch of guys my age this weekend (mid-30's) and noticed that at least half of them had hairlines that were receded as much or more as mine (and yours). Then there were the few poor saps who are actually really bald and will probably end up being a Norwood 6/7. The receded hairline looks pretty normal at my age and I'm not that much older than you. Of course, it will inevitably get worse if we do nothing about it, so I think you are doing good to take control of it now.

2) Yes, I did use minoxidil too and felt like it really helped my hairline. I just used the liquid because it was easier to get onto my scalp since I had pretty thick hair. I will tell you that it does indeed cause a bad shed when you start it and if you ever stop.

3) I know companies have been blowing smoke up our a**es for many years about how this condition is "almost cured," but I am optimistic that we are on the cusp of some very good things. I have made a pretty large investment in one of the more famous companies currently testing cell-based therapies for hair loss and I keep in close contact with their management team. I can tell you that there is some really good progress being made with these therapies that are not being publicized yet. I am hopeful that given a couple more years we will be in a much better position. And I can tell you that if you continue to use the minoxidil and propecia for the next several months, your hair will look better than it does now and will not continue to recede, probably until these better options come to the market.